Cat's in the Cradle
by Waddlediddle
Summary: "When you coming home Dad?" "I don't know when, but we'll get together then son, we'll have good time then" A Percy and Poseidon bonding story based on the song 'Cat's in the Cradle' by Harry Chapin. Very father to son story.


**Hey guys! So, I got this idea when I was listening to music and this song came on. The song is Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin and as soon as I heard it I thought of Poseidon and Percy's relationship. So, this is going to be my sad attempt of making a one-shot out of this song.**

Sally Jackson gripped Poseidon's hand as hard as she could. The pain that surged through her body was so unbelievable she couldn't help but let out an ear-shattering scream. It echoed through the hospital till it finally reached a point and silently died out.

Sally was transported to a white room where the doctor was already set up to deliver the child now ready to come out of the women. She decided to have a natural birth earlier when her water broke, but now she was regretting it. Though his hand was throbbing with pain, Poseidon sat at the side of Sally the whole time.

About a half-an-hour later, the newborn's head was now visible and the doctor told Sally to push once more. With a load scream, the little baby's body complete body was seen. "It's a boy!" The doctor shouted until he handed the little baby boy to the nurse who rushed out to make sure the baby was in a healthy state. The doctor checked up on Sally before finally leaving the two lovers alone.

No words were spoken, but pride was evident in both set of eyes. The silence was then broken by the sound of a cell phone ring. Sally looked around and realized Poseidon pulling out a cell phone sized seashell out of his pocket and putting it up to his ear.

"Hello," Poseidon answered. After about a minute Poseidon hung up and turned to Sally. "I must go, love. There has been a disturbance in the ocean below."

"But Poseidon, our son was just born. Don't you want to hold him? Or at least see his face?"

"Oh how I would love to Sally, but I must return to my job as god of the sea."

"Come on Poseidon, before you know it he will be all grown up, you really only get to see your newborns face once."

"How do you mortals say it, 'there are planes to catch and bills to pay.'" Poseidon chuckled at this line, like his brother would ever let him fly in his domain. "I must really go, don't worry I will check in." With that Poseidon kissed Sally on the cheek and disappeared into a cloud of sea smelling air.

Poseidon did keep his promise, but he would only come around every once and a while, and then be gone the next. Percy grew up very fast for the two parents.

Sally taught Percy pretty much all his basic skills for life. While Poseidon was away in the ocean Percy learned how to walk and then talk. Even though Sally taught Percy almost everything he knows, for some reason, when ever he saw Poseidon, he would always say to him, "I'm gonna be like you dad, you know I'm gonna be just like you."

Poseidon always chuckled when he said this. There is no way that Percy could be just like him. He was an Olympian, one of the big three, ruler of the sea. Percy was a demigod and most likely would be that as long as he lived, but Poseidon never told him that, he would just chuckle and nod yes.

Percy would consistently call up his dad on the phone and ask when he was coming home. Poseidon always said he didn't know, but that they would get together and have a good time. Percy always accepted the answer and hang up the phone.

Poseidon came to visit Percy on his tenth Birthday bearing presents. He spent almost all day with Percy and his mother, eating cake, singing Birthday songs. When it came to opening presents Percy was very excided like any normal ten year old would be.

He opened Sally's first and found that she got him a whole bunch of cool action figures. The look on his excited ten-year-old face made both his parents laugh and Poseidon handed Percy his present. Percy eagerly grabbed it and ripped it open.

Inside was a little baseball with ocean patterns all over it.

"Thank for the ball dad," Percy said gratefully. Percy then stood up and grabbed his father's hand. "Come on dad lets play! Can you teach me to throw?"

"Sorry Perc, I must go, I have a lot to do," Poseidon said loosening Percy's grip on his arm.

"That's okay," Percy said as he walked off with a smile. The smile scream out 'I'm gonna be just like him.' Poseidon chuckled and once again disappeared into a cloud of sea smelling air.

As Percy grew, Poseidon hung around less, with Oceanus rising and all. Even so, Percy would still always call up his father and ask when he was coming home. Poseidon would always answer with the same reply and then hang up.

When the prophesy came around, Percy never saw Poseidon. He had to act as if he never knew his father to keep Zeus from punishing Poseidon. At first, Percy would sneak out in the middle of night and call his father like he use to. After a while, when Poseidon never showed, he gave up and would no longer call.

After the war, Poseidon wanted to spend sometime with his only demigod son now that the rule was lifted. The only problem was Percy decided to give college a chance and had no time in his life at the moment.

One day, when Percy came home, he found Poseidon sitting on the coach.

"Hey Dad what's up?"

"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while," he replied patting the seat next to him on the coach.

Percy smiled and shook his head, "What I would really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys. I promised Annabeth I would meet her later. See you later Dad, can I have them please?"

Poseidon gave him the keys and watched as his son turned and walked out the door. Poseidon wanted so badly stop him so they could spend some father and son time, but he didn't, he knew Percy was busy.

Almost every night Poseidon would call up Percy and ask "When you comin' home son?"

Percy would always reply with an "I don't know when, but we'll get together then, Dad, you know we'll have a good time then," and hang up, just like Poseidon use to do.

As the years went by Poseidon craved to spend time with his son. Asking him constantly to hang out, but Percy always seemed to be too busy. Percy moved out of Sally's house and Poseidon seemed less busy because Oceanus was no longer rising.

On one extremely quite day, Poseidon called up Percy once again.

"I'd like to see you, if you don't mind."

"I'd love to Dad," this brought Poseidon's hopes up. "If I can find the time," Poseidon felt his hope crash and burn. "You see, my new jobs a hassle and Annabeth and the kids have the flu, but its sure nice talking to you, Dad. Its been sure nice talking to you," Percy said as the line went dead.

Poseidon sat there in silence. He realized that Sally was right, they do grow up so fast. He wanted to go back in time and stay in that hospital to see his newborns face. To be there for his first steps, for his first words. To teach him how to catch. To be there every time Percy called up on the phone and asked him when he was coming home. But, it was to late, he was all grown up.

As a tear left Poseidon's eye, something dawned on him. Percy did not become an Olympian, one of the big three, ruler of the ocean, but he did in fact become just like his father.

His son had grown up just like him, his son was just like him.

**Okay there you go! Oh yeah and...HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE! Here we come 2011. Okay so if you are reading my other story Alone, I am going to update it very soon I am in the middle of wrting a chapter and I think I am going to write two because of the long wait. Hope you guys enjoyed. Thank you for reading and please review. :)**

** -Waddlediddle2**


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